Israel reprimands Turkish envoy after Erdoğan threatens to 'send Netanyahu to Allah'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatened in a Friday post on 𝕏 to “send Netanyahu to Allah.”

The Turkish leader’s latest inflammatory remarks signify a further deterioration in already strained diplomatic ties between Turkey and Israel. 

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz swiftly reprimanded the Turkish envoy in Israel for Erdoğan's threat. 

"I instructed Israel's Foreign Ministry officials to summon the Turkish deputy ambassador to Israel for a serious reprimand, following Erdogan's attack on Prime Minister Netanyahu and his threats to send PM Netanyahu to Allah and to convey a clear message to Erdogan," Katz announced. 

"You who support the burning of babies, murderers, rapists, and the mutilation of corpses by Hamas criminals, is the last one who can speak about God,” the Israeli foreign minister added.

"There is no God who will listen to those who support the atrocities and crimes against humanity committed by your barbaric Hamas friends. Be quiet and ashamed!” Katz said, responding to the Turkish president. 

Erdoğan has a long history of hostility toward Israel and is a vocal supporter of the terrorist organization Hamas.

In September 2023, Erdogan and Netanyahu met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in what at the time appeared to be a diplomatic revival of Turkish-Israeli ties. Erdoğan's brief embrace of Israel was rooted in the Turkish leader’s desire to improve his nation's economy through technological and natural gas cooperation with Israel. 

However, since the Hamas Oct. 7 massacres of over 1,200 Israeli men, women and children, Erdoğan has increasingly condemned Israel for its military campaign against the terror group in Gaza. 

In November, Erdoğan told UN chief António Guterres that Israel must be held responsible for “war crimes” in Gaza. 

Erdoğan has not only refused to condemn Hamas’ crimes against both Israeli and Gazan civilians but refuses to acknowledge that Hamas is a terrorist organization. Instead, he embraces Hamas' propaganda, labeling itself as a resistance movement.

In December, the Turkish leader escalated his verbal attacks on Israel by comparing Netanyahu to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

"What is the difference between you (Netanyahu) and Hitler? How do the actions of the Netanyahu government differ from the actions of Hitler?" Erdoğan provocatively asked. 

The Israeli prime minister blasted the Turkish leader for his hypocrisy.

"Erdoğan, who is committing genocide against the Kurds and who holds the world record for imprisoning journalists who oppose his regime, is the last person who can preach morality to us," Netanyahu stated.

Earlier in March, the Turkish president reaffirmed his support of Hamas. 

“Turkey is a country that speaks openly with Hamas leaders and firmly backs them,” Erdoğan stated. “No one can make us qualify Hamas as a terrorist organization,” he added. 

Erdoğan's Turkey has cultivated close ties with Hamas and several high-ranking Hamas officials reside in Turkey. Senior Hamas terrorists met in Turkey in December to discuss and coordinate the next phase of its aggression against Israel.

Erdoğan, who at the time called Netanyahu the “Gaza butcher,” accused Israel of being both a “murderer” and a “thief.”